The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-07-12
WHAT MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED
BY ENERGY AND PER
SEVERANCE.

Georgia, relates the following in
cidents, which came under the
writer's own observation, where
success trod closely on the heels of
perseverance and industry:
Aman may make aliving andalso
make money, in hundreds of differ
ent ways in this country, and it is
a mighty good thing that this is SO,
else over-production would be the
rule, not the exception. l know a
man who is getting rich out of
baby swings. It's a simple, cheap
thing to make, and he started in a
simple and cheap way to make
them, his entire outfit of tools CON-
prising two saws, two saw benches,
a draw shave, two hand planes, a
brace and some bits, rough work
bench. He didn't stand around
with hands in his pockets waiting
for somebody with capital to come
along and boost him. Not much.
He thought these swings would
sell. so he made one and peddled
round until he found a purchaser.
Then he made another and sold
that, and thus he kept on until
finally people began to think his
swings were good thing to have
in the family, and they began to
inquire for them. He started eight
years ago, and alone did all the
work of making and selling them.
Things with him are different TO-
day. He has shop two stories in
height, and machinery for saving,
planning and boring, mortising, turn
ing and sandpapering the material
entering into the construction of
these swings. In that shop forty
men find constant employment,
and, as / said before, the owner is
getting rich out of it. Counting
the wives and children of the work
men in that shop, there is a popu-
lation of nearly or quite one hun
dred and fifty making living out
of one mans idea that a baby swing
would sell. A baby swing is not
very big thing, but it is in this
case big enough to keep quite a
little village busy and comfortable.
A step ladder is a mighty handy
thing to have around the house.
Five years ago three men, by the
closest kind Of scraping, twisting
and borrowing, managed to get to-
gether five hundred dollars. They
bought some lumber, rugged up a
circular, or buzz, rip saw, and
started in to make step ladders.
For two years it was struggle of
the hardest kind; sales had to be
made by personal canvass, prices
obtained permitted no margin of
profit, and the outlook was of such
a discouraging nature that their
friends and neighbors pitied them
first, then prophesied dead failure,
and finally laughed at their folly
in sticking by a losing game.
There came change, however. A
prominent house-furnishIng goods
firm one day wrote them for prices
Oh FIVE thousand ladders. The
size Of this possible order very
nearly took them off their feet.
They had sense enough, however,
to understand that this big house
would not give them the order un-
less prices were mace away down,
so they sat down and figured the
thing over, and having decided
that matter, awaited the result,
which turned in their favor and
they got the order. They went to
work; each one took his coat off
and pitched in; they worked six
teen hours a day until that order
was filed, and it was
filled on time, and each
ladder was honestly made.
The only expense they realized
was for lumber, screws and paint.
They had done all the work them
selves. This was the turning
point In their business career.